Prof. Robert Klitgaard travels to Thailand, Bhutan to advise on anti-corruption strategies

Wednesday, April 02, 2014

Professor Robert Klitgaard with the King of Bhutan, Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck.

University Professor Robert Klitgaard has just returned from a trip to Thailand and Bhutan, where he advised government, business, and military leaders on anti-corruption strategies.

Klitgaard's first stop was Thailand, where he facilitated a workshop for government and business leaders on how they can emerge from the country's current political crisis. Protestors in Thailand have taken to the streets over the past five months as part of a broader struggle over control of the government. Following his meeting with government officials, Klitgaard dined with leaders of the opposition party.

Klitgaard with Bhutanese government ministers.

He then traveled to Bhutan, where he worked with the country's anti-corruption commission, addressed government ministers, and had a one-on-one meeting with King Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck. He also spent three days with 23 future Bhutanese leaders in the Royal Institute for Governance and Strategic Studies.

Klitgaard is widely considered to be one of the world’s leading experts on corruption, and he regularly gives presentations and advises government officials across the globe. He's worked with more than 20 governments to date, including the Philippines, Colombia, the Czech Republic, Indonesia, and Malaysia.

He argues that systemic corruption fosters distrust, anger, political instability, and poverty. Economies cannot flourish when investors are unable to rely on the integrity of basic institutions like courts and banks. Broken tax bureaus mean no revenue for infrastructure. Crooked health and school systems deprive sick people their medicine and school children their textbooks.

Through his research and experience, he’s devised clear actions leaders can take to diagnose the causes of corruption and implement strategies and solutions.